NIEHS is leading an National Institutes of Health (NIH) long term study looking at the potential health effects of the oil spill in various responder populations. On June 15, NIH Director Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., announced an investment of $10 million to support the NIEHS launch of this important research. The NIEHS Epidemiology Branch is designing the study. NIEHS will work with other HHS agencies, federal partners, as well as local communities and universities to both assess and implement its research plan.